Board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A simulated battle game is provided which combines elements of both strategy and chance wherein men of opposed teams are moved toward opposed goals on a multi-squared board having movable gates thereon according to throws of a die.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,860,241 Leftin Jan. 14, 1975 BOARD GAME APPARATUS 3,627,324 12/1971 Krep'p 213/131 B Inventor: David L. Lenin, 30 W. Dane 3,709,498 1/1973 Liston 273/131 AB Beverly, Mass- 01915 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [22] Filed: May 9, 1973 42,331 5/1910 Austria 1. 273/134 GA 8,041,119 7/1936 France 273/134 CF [21] PP 358,677 889,265 9/1943 France 273/134 AC Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 220,183, Jan. 24, Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe 1972, abandoned. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Thomas C. Stover, Jr.

[52] US. Cl....273/134 AE, 273/131 AD, 273/131 B,

273/131 BB, 273/131 K, 273/134 AC, [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int Cl 273/134 A simulated battle game is provided which combines [58] Fieid "55 134 elements of both strategy and chance wherein men of opposed teams are moved toward opposed goals on a [56] Reerences Cited multi-squared board having movable gates thereon ac- UNITED STATES PATENTS cording to throws of a die.

1,159,854 11/1915 Malmsjo 273/131 BB 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures r 1 BOARD GAME APPARATUS The following is a Continuation-In-Part of applicants co-pending application SN 220,183, filed Jan. 24, 1972, and now abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Various battle-simulation games having movable pieces on a grid or checkerboard have been devised for amusement, diversion and development of skill in tactics and strategy. Examples of such games are US Pat. Nos. 1,295,873 to E. Flagg, 2,799,504 to Keyko, 2,342,899 to Sands, Jr. and 2,414,165 to G. Paschal.

These games bear resemblance to checkers or chess, pieces of opposing sides being moved in alternate turns from one side of the board to the other. They are games of skill as opposed to the lighter games of chance which add an element of surprise and relaxation to a contest.

SUMMARY Broadly, the present invention provides a game which combines the elements of skill and chance wherein pieces or men of opposed teams are moved toward opposed goals on a multi-squared board.

Broadly, the present invention comprises a strategy game comprising a multi-squared board, said squares being arranged side by side in a grid pattern, a pair of opposed goals spaced apart on said board, each goal containing at least one square, a plurality of gates positioned in squares proximate said goals, each gates being moveably mounted on said board and moveable to an open and to a closed position, a first team of pieces positioned on separate squares for defending said first goal, a second team of pieces positioned on separate squares for defending said second goal, and a chance numerical determinant (e.g., at least one die having a plurality of faces, and having different numerical indicia on each face) to direct the movement of said pieces on said board. By gates herein is meant moveably mounted structural elements mounted on said board which move to positions considered open and positions considered closed. Further description of said gates is provided below.

DESCRIPTION The present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed specification and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the game board and pieces embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of one of the pieces of the game of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the die of the game of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the potential moves of one of the pieces of the game of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial sectional elevation view of a gate of the embodiment of FIG. 1 taken on line 55 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, game board is 12 squares 12 wide by 18 squares 12 long upon which are positioned a force of 12 pieces or men 14 and an opposed force of 12 pieces 18 as shown in FIG. 1. Team 14 seeks to advance to goal 16 while defending goal and team 18 seeks to advance to goal 20 while defending goal 16 shown in FIG. 1. Captured pieces of force 14 are placed in jail 24 and captured pieces of force 18 are placed in jail 28. The pieces 14 and 18 are moved according to throws of die 22 having indicia 26 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Also, rotatably mounted on the board 10 are gates 44, which rotate on eyelets 46 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. These gates are rotated when a desired number is rolled on a die, e.g., 2, and the gate is rotated to an open (round side) or closed (flat side) position. For example, with an enemy piece approaching, a player can attempt on his turn to roll a 2, and if successful such player can rotate the gate so that the flat side thereof faces the approaching enemy, i.e., closes the gate. The opposing player can either detour such enemy piece around the closed gate or himself attempt to roll a 2 to rotate the gate to an open position and on subsequent turns pass over and through said gate before it is closed.

The pieces 14 and 18, in this embodiment, have the form of foot soldiers such as piece 14 shown in FIG. 2. The pieces are moved forward, backward or sidewise as shown in FIG. 4. Topographical representations, including river 30, pond 32, woods 38, 40 and 42 and road 36 are depicted on the game board 10 for realism as shown in FIG. 1.

In one embodiment the game is played as follows:

On a multi-squared board having 18 adjacent rows of 12 squares each, with a first goal in row 1 and a second goal in row 18, two teams of soldiers each are positioned proximate one of said goals. The first team initially occupies the 12 squares of row 6 and defends the first goal 20 (its headquarters). The second team initially occupies the 12 squares of row 13 and defends the second goal 16 (its headquarters). The teams alternately move on the throw of a die such as shown in FIG. 3, the object of the game being to move a team member into the goal defended by the opposing team. This is done by moving a soldier into a square adjacent the enemy goal, where he remains on subsequent turns on the die, unless captured, until a one is rolled by the attacking player, which moves the soldier into said enemy goal and ends the game. Also during the game each player may use a turn to open or close a gate when a specified number, e.'g.,'2, is thrown.

Tobegin the game, each side throws the die; the first move is awarded to the player who rolls the higher number on his throw.

The moves are as follows:

The soldiers or men can move in any horizontal or vertical direction as shown in FIG. 4.

A player can move his man a number of squares equivalent'to the number turned up on the die or the move can be divided among several men of that team.

No man can move and then return to the original square where the move was initiated.

No two men can occupy the same square at one time.

An opponents man is captured as follows:

To effect a capture a player must have moved his man into a square in front, back or on either side of the opposing man and subsequently roll a l on the die.

Upon capture, the opposing man is removed from the board and the captor is moved into the captured square.

POW Camps.

Two POW camps or jails can be added, if desired, one for each team. These camps are situated on both sides of the board at the 9th and 10th rows thereof as shown at camps 24 and 28 in FIG. 1.

Men captured during the game are placed in the respective POW camps. To release captives from a camp, a player must succeed in moving two of his men into two squares adjacent said camp and subsequently roll a 2 on the die.

Released men are returned to squares in their initial starting row, i.e. row 6 or 13.

Additional variations can be added to the game embodying the invention as follows:

After a player has moved his man into a square in front, back or on either side of the opposing man:

a. a subsequent roll of 1 on the die eliminates the opposing man from the game or b. a subsequent roll of 2 on the die captures said opposing man and relegates him to his respective POW camp or c. a subsequent roll of 3 on said die wounds said opposing man who continues to occupy his square in an incapacitated condition for the next several moves, e.g., five, before being returned to active playing status.

Additionally, each 12 man team can have in reserve a contingent of, for example, six men. This reserve contingent is summoned into action by a player when his team is reduced to four or less men. The entering contingent is placed initially on the initial starting row of its team, i.e., row 6 or 13.

Although specific embodiments of the game of the invention have been described herein, it will be recognized that variations within the scope of the invention can be fabricated.

Accordingly, the board of the invention can have a different number of squares and be of various rectangular shapes, including square, as well as rounded in shape.

Each team can have more or less than l2 pieces and these pieces can portray figures other than soldiers, e.g., animals, weaponry including tanks, ships, planes and the like.

It is an important element of the game of this invention that the number of squares moved by a team or the type of move is dependent to some extent on chance. This chance is determined as indicated above by a chance numerical determinant such as by a throw of one die or a plurality of dice having various numerical indicia on the respective faces thereof or by other chance numerical determinants such as a number wheel, a pointer which spins over a numbered card and the like.

Utilization of the gates of the invention also affects the actions of the game of the invention. Any number of such gates can be mounted either fixedly or movably on the board at various locations thereon. The gates can be situated in squares wholly or partly surrounding the goals and/or be spaced away from said goals in a semblance of an obstacle course.

The gates can be rotatable as shown or take other forms, e.g., a vertical gate, hinged on a vertical axis (garden gate), a vertical gate hinged on a horizontal axis (RR crossing gate), a tab which swings up to close and lie flat to open, a slotted pellet (valve gate) which rotates to open and closed positions and various other gates which open and close can be devised.

Movements of the various elements of the game are preferably by hand, e.g., movements of the gates, pieces, rolling of the die or other chance numerical determinant. The various elements can also be moved by sticks, tongs and the like if desired. Electric, including battery, power can also be employed where desired, e.g., to rotate gates, activate chance numerical determinants and the like.

The goals and the POW camps can each occupy a portion of a square or a plurality thereof and be rounded or rectangular as desired. The goals and camps can be located on the board where desired, al-

one or more squares of the opposing man to effect capture within the scope of the invention.

A man can move to the enemy goal or prison camp by the methods set forth above or by other rules, e.g., by moving either adjacent or within a certain range to effect capture of the goal or release of captives with or without a subsequent throw of the die.

Accordingly, various rules of play can be adjusted to the game embodying the present invention within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A strategy game comprising a multi-squared board, said squares being arranged side by side'in a grid pattern, a pair of opposed goals spaced apart on said board, each goal containing at least one square, a plurality of gates positioned in squares proximate said goals, each gate being moveably mounted on said board and moveable to either an open position or a closed position, a first team of pieces positioned on separate squares for defending said first goal, a second team of pieces positioned on separate squares for defending said second goal and a chance numerical determinant to direct the movement of said pieces on said board.

2. The game of claim 1 wherein each team has 12 pieces, each piece resembling a soldier.

3. The game of claim 1 wherein said board has 18 adjacent rows of 12 squares each.

4. The game of claim 1 wherein said board has 18 rows of squares therein and the goals are positioned on rows 1 and 18.

5. The game of claim 1 wherein said board has indiciathereon designating areas which may be regarded as representing a pair of jails, a first jail for captured pieces of said second team and a second jail for capdeterminant is a plurality of dice. 

1. A strategy game comprising a multi-squared board, said squares being arranged side by side in a grid pattern, a pair of opposed goals spaced apart on said boArd, each goal containing at least one square, a plurality of gates positioned in squares proximate said goals, each gate being moveably mounted on said board and moveable to either an open position or a closed position, a first team of pieces positioned on separate squares for defending said first goal, a second team of pieces positioned on separate squares for defending said second goal and a chance numerical determinant to direct the movement of said pieces on said board.
 2. The game of claim 1 wherein each team has 12 pieces, each piece resembling a soldier.
 3. The game of claim 1 wherein said board has 18 adjacent rows of 12 squares each.
 4. The game of claim 1 wherein said board has 18 rows of squares therein and the goals are positioned on rows 1 and
 18. 5. The game of claim 1 wherein said board has indicia thereon designating areas which may be regarded as representing a pair of jails, a first jail for captured pieces of said second team and a second jail for captured pieces of said first team, each jail containing at least one of said squares.
 6. The game of claim 1 wherein said board has indicia thereon designating areas which may be regarded as representing a pair of opposed jails, said goals and said jails occupying two squares each.
 7. The game of claim 1 wherein said chance numerical determinant is at least one die having a plurality of faces and having different numerical indicia on each face, and said gates are attached to aid board.
 8. The game of claim 1 wherein the chance numerical determinant is a plurality of dice. 